Laundry apparatus



Dec. 24, 1957 Filed April 4, 1955 W. L. SCHUBERT LAUNDRY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l De@c 24, 1957 w. l.. SCHUBERT 2,817,501

LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O LAUNDRY APPARATUS William L. Schubert, Montgomery County, Pa., assgnor to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 4, 1955, Serial No. 499,043

Claims. (Cl. 259-50) The invention hereinafter described and claimed has to do with drum construction and, while of broader applicability, is particularly well adapted for use in laundry machines, such as tumbler type clothes washers and driers.

In machines of this type, perhaps the main operational ditliculty is the loading and unloading of the drum and, broadly, it is the object of this invention to provide a novel drum construction overcoming this difficulty.

In accordance with the invention, and rst briefly described, the invention contemplates a drum construction comprising two segments, preferably semi-cylindrical, slidably engaged with each other. One segment is rotatably mounted in lixed structure, while the other comprises a drawer slidably engaged with the lirst segment in a manner permitting the drawer to be moved between retracted and extended positions, or to be completely disengaged and removed.

A feature of this new drum construction is its adaptability for use in related apparatus, such as washer and drier combinations. Both machines may be provided with drums of this construction, thereby simplifying the handling of clothes from one to the other-washer to drier, for example-requiring only moving the loaded ydrawer from the washer to the drier.

The foregoing objects, advantages and features of the invention will be fully understood from a consideration of the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a cabinet type drier incorporating the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of Figure l; I

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a drum 4construction embodying the features of the invention;

Figure 5 is a side elevational View of a fragmentary portion of the drum; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6 6 of Figure 5.

More specifically, and with initial reference to Figures l, 2 and 3, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to a laundry drying machine of the so-called domestic type and, except for the drum, being of conventional construction. In this embodiment the numeral 1t) designates a casing or housing structure enclosing a generally cylindrical bafe 11 arranged therein to define a drying chamber 12. The drying chamber 12 is provided with an air inlet duct 13 for conveying heated air to the chamber, and an air discharge or outlet duct 14 for conveying the moist air therefrom.

Within the drying chamber 12 is arranged the generally cylindrical basket or drum 15 constructed in accordance with the present invention, and more fully described below.

The drum is suitably journaled within the drying chamber upon a ixed frame 16, as by axle 17, for rotation about a horizontal axis. The drive means comprises sheaves 18 and 19, belt 20, and electric .motor 21, the latter being supported upon the bottom of casing 10. Motor 21 also functions to `drive a blower 22 which is arranged within a housing 23, the latter being provided with an air inlet opening 24 which communicates with the space within casing 1l). The casing is provided with a suitable opening 25 formed in a side wall and through which the interior of the casing may receive air from the surrounding atmosphere. The blower housing 23 discharges into a generally horizontal duct 26 within which an electric heater 27, of suitable construction, is disposed for heating the air discharged by blower 22. The heated air passes through duct 13, into drying chamber 12, through the interior of perforated basket 15, removing moisture from the tumbling fabrics, and then is discharged from the casing through exhaust duct 14.

It should be understood, of course, that the abovedescribed construction is set forth by way of example only, and that the concepts of the invention are equally applicable to similar machines of known construction wherein a tumbling type basket or drum is used.

'In particular accordance with the invention, and with reference to Figure 4, it will be seen that the basket or drum 15 preferably, but not necessarily, comprises two substantially similar semi-cylindrical sections or segments 30 and 3l. Segment 30 comprises curved member 32 and semi-circular end walls 33 and 34, axle 17 being secured to the latter on the axis of the drum. Segment 31 comprises curved member 36 and semi-circular end walls 37 and 38. lt will be understood of course that in accordance with well known practice, all or part of the walls of these segments will be provided with a plurality of apertures 39, in order that air may circulate through the drum.

As Seen more clearly in Figures 5 and 6, the downwardly presented lateral edges 4l) of the curved member 32 of segment 30 are provided with re-entrant portions or channels forming trackways 4l. The corresponding terminal edges 42 of curved member 36 of segment 31 are bent inwardly and outwardly to form vanes or bafes 43, and then downwardly to form reentrant channels 44 within vanes 43. Channels 44 slidably engage trackways 4l on segment 30, permitting drawer 3l to be moved between retracted and extended position relative to segment 30, or be completely disengaged therefrom. Anti-friction rollers may also be provided, as shown at 45. It will be understood that within the broader aspect of the invention the sliding engagement or drawer 31, with segment 30, may take other suitable forms. Additional vanes, as indicated at 43a, may be provided in both sections of the `drum thus to increase the tumbling action of its contents.

Preferably, releasable stop means 46 of conventional construction (see Figure 5) is provided to prevent inadvertent complete withdrawal of drawer 31. An extra tug upon the drawer will, however, release the stop means and permit the drawer to be completely removed from segment 30. The stop means shown comprises the spring 47 on channel 41 which engages dctent 48 in channel 44 to stop the drawer in its advanced position.

If desired, suitable means (not shown) may be provided to index the drum in such manner as to place the drawer 31 at the bottom of the drum each time it is brought to a stop, or alternatively the drum may be rotated to this position by hand. A handle 5l) is provided for moving the drawer, while a door 49 serves to provide access to the cabinet.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that my invention provi-des novel drum structure greatly facilitating drum loading and unloading operations. With particular reference to use of the invention in the the process, of transferring laundry from awasher to a1 drier may be accomplished in the simplest possible manner by removing the disengageable section from the washing machine, when the washing operation has been completed, and inserting said segment into a drying machine. If such a procedure is followed, it is only necessary to provide in each machine a fixed drum segment similar to the segment 3Q, and `cooperable with the disengageable segment to support the same in the manner described.

What is claimed is:

1. A drum construction comprising a rst partiallycylindrical' section and partially-cylindrical drawer means, means on said iirst section for mounting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis, and means mounting said drawer means on said irst section for movement between retracted and advanced positions, and in a plane paralleling the axis of the drum, whereby when said drawer means is in said retracted position, said rst section |and said drawer means cooperate to form a complete drum and, when said drawer means is in said advanced position, access is afforded to the interior of said drawer means.

2. A drum construction comprising tirst and second segments, each having an open side paralleling the drum axis, means joining said segments with their open sides in confronting relation, and means on said iirst segment and lon the axis of said drum for mounting said drum for rotation about a horizontal axis, said joining means permitting axial 4sliding movement of said second segment relative to said rst segment between a retracted drumt'orming position and an advanced position, whereby access may be had to the interior of said second segment through its upwardly presented yopen side.

3. In a laundry machine of the tumbler type,A a drum comprising: a first section; means on said rst section for mounting said section for rotation about a horizontal axis, coinciding with the axis of the drum; a drawer section; and means slidably mounting said drawer section on said first section to permit axial movement of said drawer section relative to said first section, whereby said drawer section may be moved between retracted and extended positions to facilitate loading and unloading thereof.

4. In a laundry machine of the tumbler type, cabinet structure having avfront opening, a clothes holding drum comprising a lirst portion and 'a drawer, means mounting said first portion on said structure for rotation about the drum axis, and means mounting said drawer on said first portion for axial sliding movement relative thereto and accommodating movement of said drawer between retracted and extended positions, or complete removal of said drawer from said cabinet by way of said front opening.

5. vIn a laundry machine of the tumbler type, cabinet structure having a front opening, a clothes holding drum comprising a irst partially-cylindrical segment and a partially-cylindrical drawer, means mounting said segment on saidl structure for rotation about a horizontal axis, and means mounting said drawer on said segment for axial sliding movement relative thereto, and accommodating movement of said drawer between retracted and extended positions or complete removal of said drawer from said cabinet by way of said front opening.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 109,836 Osgood Dec. 6, 1870 230,189 Langner July 20, 188() 1,279,557 Leao Sept. 24, 1918 1,444,631 Mittinger Feb. 6, 1923 

